Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bartonella and other infections found in cats and fleas in eastern
By Barrs, V R et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2010·Faculty of Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of Bartonella species, Rickettsia felis, haemoplasmas and the Ehrlichia group in the blood of cats and fleas in eastern Australia.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that about 27% of cats in eastern Australia had traces of certain bacteria in their blood, which can be carried by fleas. Specifically, 15.3% of the cats tested positive for Mycoplasma haemofelis, a bacteria that can cause anemia, and 37.8% showed signs of exposure to Bartonella species, which can lead to various health issues. Fleas were also found to carry these bacteria, with 67.6% of flea samples testing positive. This highlights the importance of keeping fleas under control to protect your cat's health.
People also search for: cat flea control · cat blood infection symptoms · Mycoplasma haemofelis treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To define the prevalence of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia felis, Mycoplasma haemofelis, 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' (Mhm) and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis' (Mtc) in cats and their fleas in eastern Australia. DESIGN AND PROCEDURE: Conventional PCR assays that detect Bartonella spp., M. haemofelis, Mhm, Mtc, Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp. and Neorickettsia spp. were performed on DNA extracted from blood and fleas collected from 111 cats. Cat sera were assayed by ELISA for IgG of Bartonella spp. RESULTS: DNA of M. haemofelis, Mtc and Mhm was amplified from 1 (0.9%), 1 (0.9%) and 17 cats (15.3%), respectively. Only DNA of Mhm was amplified from the 62 of 111 pooled flea samples (flea sets; 55.9%). Overall, the prevalence rates for Bartonella spp. DNA in the cats and the flea sets was 16.2% (18 cats) and 28.8% (32 flea sets), respectively. Bartonella spp. IgG was detected in 42 cats (37.8%), of which 11 (26.2%) were positive for Bartonella spp. DNA in their blood. R. felis DNA was amplified from 22 flea sets (19.8%), but not from cats. Overall, DNA of one or more of the organisms was amplified from 27% (30) of cats and 67.6% (75) of the flea sets. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first Australian study to determine the prevalence of R. felis and B. clarridgeiae in both fleas and the cats from which they were collected. Flea-associated infectious agents are common in cats and fleas in eastern Australia and support the recommendation that stringent flea control be maintained on cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20529020/